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My goal is pretty much simple nonetheless challenging; I'm going to try and find as many English words as possible that are Greek. Challenge accepted. And trust me, there's a lot of them.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

M - Magic, Metal, Meta..., Metabolism, Metaphor, Metastasis, Method.

Magic. From Ancient Greekμαγικός,magikos,magical, derived from μάγος,magos, magician. Allegedly supernatural charms, spells or other methods to dominate natural forces. Also used figuratively, something spectacular or wonderful.

Derived or related words: magician, magical, magically.

Metal. From Ancient Greekμέταλλον,métallon, from μεταλλεύειν, metalleuein,to mine. Any chemical element in the periodic table that form a metallic bond with other metal atoms; generally shiny and hard, often a conductor of heat and electricity.

Derived or related words: metallic, metalware.

Meta- is a Greek prefix (like para-tele-psycho-) meaning after, along with, beyond, among, and is used in many words, even medical, if you really think about it. Some of them:

Metabolism.From Ancient Greekμεταβολή,metavolē,change, from μετά-,meta-,with, across, after + βάλλω, vallō,to throw, to shoot. The chemical processes occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life.

Derived or related words: metabolic, metabolize, metabolite.

Metaphor. From Ancient Greekμεταφορά,metaphora, from μεταφέρω,metapherō,I transfer. From μετά-,meta-,with, across, after + φέρω,pherō,I bear, carry. A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates
one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit
comparison.

Derived or related words: metaphorical, metaphorically.

Metastasis.From Ancient Greekμετάστασις,metastasis, change, from μεθίστημι, methistemi,to remove, to change. From μετά-,meta-,with, across, after + ίσταμαι, histamai, to cause to stand, to place. Transmission of pathogenic micro-organisms or cancerous cells from an
original site to one or more sites elsewhere in the body, usually by way
of the blood vessels or lymphatics.

Derived or related words: metastatic, metastasize.

Method.From Ancient Greekμέθοδος,methodos,pursuit of knowledge, investigation, from μετά-,meta-,with, across, after + ὁδός,hodos,way, motion, journey. A process by which a task is completed, a way of doing something.